Opposition faces dilemma over attending Ram Lalla's consecration ceremony

Congress and other opposition parties find themselves in a fix over participation in the consecration ceremony of the idol of Ram Lalla in the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

While Congress wants to avoid the infamy of being anti-temple it also does not want to get trapped in the political trap of BJP. Among the leaders who have received invitation for the January 22 ceremony, none other than the Left parties were yet to decide whether they will go to Ayodhya or not.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the chief host in this function being held before the Lok Sabha elections. BJP is fully engaged in capitalizing on this issue. Many opposition parties including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi have been invited to the function. Leaders of leftist parties have flatly refused to attend the function.

Congress believes that organizing the Pran Pratistha ceremony is like BJP giving edge to its election agenda. Demolishing this agenda is a big challenge for Congress. Party strategists say that if Congress leaders do not attend the function, BJP will get an opportunity to propagate that Congress is anti-Hindu and anti-temple.

At the same time, attending the function may lead to allegations of playing into the hands of BJP and there may be a reaction from the minority, especially Muslim, community. However, most of the party leaders seem to agree on Congress' participation in this function.

Karnataka CM M Siddaramaiah has clearly said that his party is a supporter of the temple. This is why party leaders are indicating that Sonia Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge may attend the function.

A senior Congress leader said that Congress is not against the construction of the temple, but the locks of the temple were opened when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister. Lord Ram is adored by all of us and we are also devotees of Ram. Congress had talked about respecting the court's decision and now that the temple is being constructed on the decision of the Supreme Court, then by participating in the function, Congress can also give a new political message in the Hindi belt states of North India.